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Mute Swan tested positive for bird flu reinforces need for good biosecurity in Suffolk

Author: Farminguk

Published: 11th August 2017 10:26

 Mute Swan

Swan tested positive for bird flu reinforces need for good biosecurity

Poultry farmers and keepers have been urged to uphold good biosecurity. measures.

A swan has been tested positive for the H5N8 strain of bird flu at a wetland centre in the Norfolk Broads.

The Mute swan was found on 26th July.

The bird was tested positive for H5N8 virus by veterinary experts.
It was tested as part of Defra's ongoing wild bird surveillance programme.

Poultry farmers and keepers have been urged to uphold good biosecurity measures.

The risk level remains low, but Defra said it is likely that the threat level will increase in the coming weeks as the migration season gets underway.

The Government has only recently relaxed the Avian Flu Prevention Zones and a ban on poultry gatherings, which were lifted across England since 15th May.

The Government still advises keepers to follow industry standard best practice on biosecurity, including minimising movement in and out of bird enclosures, cleaning footwear, keeping areas where birds live clean and tidy and feeding birds indoors.

The most recent case of H5N8 in poultry in England was confirmed on 3rd June in Norfolk.

In March, millions of UK free range eggs temporarily lost their status after hens were forced to spend weeks inside barns as part of the government's emergency bird flu measures.

 

 

 

 

 

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